How To Avoid Tax Identity Theft
Having your identity stolen creates countless problems. Without a secure identity you can face financial ruin if someone uses your identity to obtain loans that then go unpaid, and you might not even know about it while it’s happening! A missing identity will also cause you to spend hours upon hours at places like the DMV or Social Security office to obtain new identification cards. Undoing what’s been done when your identity is stolen takes time and effort, and can be a frustrating experience to say the least. It may seem strange to think of yourself as having a tax identity, but we all do. When your tax identity is stolen the consequence may be that someone else gets and spends your refund, or you may face an investigation from the IRS for information contained in a return filed by someone else who used your personal information.
The IRS has issued a warning about the possibility of identity theft this tax season, and offered some tips that will help protect you. One important step you can take is to register your account online at IRS.gov. Other things that will help are:
- Taking care to avoid posting too much personal information online on sites such as:
- Declining to provide personal information over the phone.
It is also advisable to take a step back when a deal seems too good to be true, and thoroughly analyze the situation. If you are presented with a money making scheme that seems too easy, it probably is – and these types of schemes are often used to obtain personal information for other purposes like tax fraud. Exercising caution will help keep your tax identity safe and ensure your refund lands in your pocket instead of the pocket of a thief.
If you believe your identity has been stolen, call our office to find out what you can do to take back your life. We have experience helping people with a wide variety of tax issues, including tax identity theft, and can help you too!
If you have questions about taxes and how to keep your tax identity safe, let the professionals at Nielsen Law Group help you negotiate with the IRS. Call (480) 888-7111 or submit a web request here.